Car-coupling



2 'Sheets-Sheet 1..

L. MOORE.

GAR COU-BLING. K

Patented Oct. 17, 1893.

| l l 1 l l x Q I I l l. ,li/lim (No Model.)

(Ne Medel.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

Ne. 506,827. -Petee'eed Genn-,1893.

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v We* f i Il? e151: llil Til l i ISL: 'if ein f/e Effe "wk ifii ,Le L f`\ 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI vMOORE, OF BARABOO, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No'. 506,827,- dated October 1'7, 1893.

Application tiled May 11, 1893. Serial No. 473,825. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVI MOORE, of Baraboo, in the county of Sauk and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference be; ing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this 'specication This invention is an improvement in couplings for railwaycars, and is especially designed for locomotive tenders, although it can be applied to ordinary cars. cially designed as a freight car coupling of the link and pin variety, and its objects are to provide means whereby the link can be adjusted to any position desired, either horizontal or inclined by concealed devices which will not obstruct the coupling, and can be operated from the sides of the car without endangering the workman, which devices will be automatically caused to disengage the link as the coupling is effected.

Further objects of the invention are to improve the devices for upholding the coupling pins until the link has properly entered the throat of draw bar, and to provide various other improvements upon the coupling shown in my Letters Patent No. 495,595, granted April 18, 1893, all of which will be clearly understood from the following description and claims.

In the drawings:-Figure 1 is anend view of a tender showing my improved coupling devices. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2--2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4--4 Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view on line 5-5 Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view.

A draw head is secured to the rear end of the tender or car in-any suitable manner. As shown, this draw head has two mouths, A, B, the latter below the former and separated therefrom by a partition a, and suitable pin openings are formed in the draw head so that a single pin C will transfix both throats and secure links therein. The draw headsis also provided with a mouth D at each side of mouth A and in line therewith provided with suitable openings for the passage of pins d.

It is more espe- These several mouths enable a coupling to be effected with several links, or with one link at different positions as is best suited to the emergencies of the case. Such a draw head is especially useful for shifting engines. E designates a bar playing through vertical openings in the draw head in rear of pin C or the openings therefor, and provided with a notch e opposite each mouth A, B, so that when a link is inserted in one of said mouths its inner end will enter one of the recesses e, when the bar is raised, which is normally, by means of a suitably arranged spring, or other means. As shown the lower end of the bar is cylindrical and passes through a hangerF bolted to the end bar of the car below the draw head, and through a longitudinal slot in a slidingblock G which is adapted to slide back and forth in a guide recess in the hanger. This block is hollowed out on its under side and in it are secured spring pieces g, which overlie a collar e on the bar E and are so bent that when the block is drawn outward they will cause the bar to descend. When the block is pushed inward the bar is raised by means of a spring H interposed between the top of the block and a collar e2 on the rod. The springs and collars may be concealed in recesses made in the hanger, draw head, and end bar of car, as indicated in the drawings. The bar is used to hold and adj ust the links at dierent angles so as to facilitate coupling with another draw bar. When a link is inserted in mouth A or B its rear end will enter one of the notches e of bar E, and when the lat-ter bar isdepressed the inner end of Y link will be pressed down by the upper edge of the notch e as is evident, and consequently the outer end of link will be more or less elevated according to the depression of the bar.

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whichis journaled in proper bearings above the block G and in rear of mouth B. To said shaft is connected a chain or rope t' which is .carried forward over and partly around a roller or sheave I journaled in stationary supports above the block, and its end carried back and made fast to the block as indicated in the drawings, so that by rotating shaft I in either direction, the block will be projected and bar E depressed. Shaft I can be rotated by knobs as shown or by cranks or wheels on its ends, and thus bar E adjusted from either side ofthe car. The block G is pushed inward by contact with the opposed draw head, or a similar block on the opposed car, in coupling, so that bar E is allowed to rise and the link freed simultaneously with the coupling being effected.

In the drawings the bumper .I is shown located directly over the draw head, being provided with slots J for the passage of the coupling pins. This bumper is cushioned by springs so as to. deaden and lessen the shock of impact thereagainst as shown. The

bumper is guided by pins j fixed to a rigid backing, and stout coiled springs are placed 0n the. guide pins intermediate the bumper and backing so as to.` cushion the bumper. Normally the bumper projects over the draw head, but it is pushed back by the opposite bumper in coupling cars. As` shown, springs O andd are slipped on pins C, d respectively above the bumper, said springs bearing against staples or guide eyes through which the pins pass, and collars on the pins, so that they serve to depress the pins and hold them depressed. I have indicated an arrangement of ropes c, d,and pulleys by which the pins can be raised from the sides of they car, or these ropes can be extended to the conductors Caboose, or engine cab, so that the cars can beuncoupled therefrom withoutthe need of'sending a brakeman over the train.

If desired thev coupling pins may be protected by a casing K which can be removably secured to the carin any suitable manner, so that rain, snow, & c., will be kept out of the pin openings and working parts.

In rear of the pin C at a point above the pin opening is, aboltL controlled by a spring L- and lying in a suitable recess in such posi-tion, that when pin- C is raised so as to clear mouths A, B, the lspring Will force, the bolt into position t0 prevent the descent of the pin until the bolt is forced back. The bolt has an upst/anding lug L2 which engagesv the rear edge of` or a suitable recess in, bumper J so that when the latter is forced inwardin coupling, as above described, bolt L will be retracted and the pin will be permitted to.

drop. By this meansan automatic coupling Vmay be effected. The bolt may be retracted independently of the bumper by means of a one side of the bumper in position to be grasped and shifted by hand. By swinging the lever inward the bolt is retracted without movement of the bumper; thus a link can be readily secured to the draw bar preparatory to coupling, to another car. As the pins d, d, are merely auxiliary I do not deem it necessary to have pin and link controlling devices therefor, but obviously they could be readily applied thereto, similar to those for pin C. It is also obvious that the pin and link controlling devices are readily applicable to a single-mouthed draw bar and I propose to use them with such.

The link controlling devices may be substituted for the link adjusting devices shown in my patent above mentioned, if desired.

Instead of operating the pin supporting bolt L from the movable bumper, Ithe bolt might be operated by a lug engaging the draw bar when the devices are employed in connection with a draw bar connected yieldingly tol the car as in my patent above mentioned, orin ordinary pin and link couplings. These various minor changes will be obvious toone skilled in the art.

When used in connection with a yielding draw bar the4 hanger F and block G must be suspended from the draw bar or at least made capable of moving therewith.

The pin C may be provided with notches or holes c3, c4, which will be. alternately engaged by bolt L so as to lock the pin i-n either its raised or lowered p.osition or coupled or unconpled.

Having described my invention, what I claim as. new, and desire to secure by Letters Patenty thereon, is-

1. The combination with a draw headgof a vertically adjustable bar playing through the draw bar in rear of the pin openings and adapted to bite the inner end of link and hold thesame in coupling position, a spring for raising said bar, and means for depressing it, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the draw'head, the link adjusting bar, and the` movable block for shifting said bar, substantially as described. f

3. The combination of the draw bar, a movable slotted block below thesame, and a link adjusting bar playing through said draw bar and the slot in said block, and the devices whereby when the block is projected the bar is depressed, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the draw head,` the link adjusting bar, and the movable block for shifting'said bar, andthe d evicesfor shifting said block from the side of car, substantially as described. v

5. The combination of the draw bar,a movable slotted block below the same, anda link adjusting bar playing through said draw bar and the slot in said block, and the devices 2 whereby when the block isprojected the bar lever M pivoted at one end to the bumper,or

other suitable support, and extending out at is depressed, and means for shifting said block from the, side of car, substantially as and for the purpose-sp'eciiied.

6. The combination of the draw head, the

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vertically movable link adjusting bar playing through the draw head, the spring for raising said bar, and devices for depressing Said bar, and for automatically releasing it when the coupling is eected, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the draw bar, a movable spring cushioned bumper, the coupling pin, and a pin catch bolt adapted to upholdA the pin when raised, and devices substantially as described, whereby the catch is caused to release the pin when the bumper isY pushed inward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the draw head, the coupling pin, the pin catch bolt in rear of the pin openings, and the pivoted hand lever adapted to disengage the catch from the pin, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the draw bar, a2 bumper above the same having slots over the pin openings in the draw bar, and the coupling pins engaging the pin openings in the draw bar through the slot-s in the bumper, substantiallyas described.

10. The combination of the draw head, the link adjusting bar, the coupling pin,the spring for depressing said pin,l and the ropes for lifting said pin, substantially as described. 11. lThecombinationof the draw head, the coupling pin, the pin catch bolt, the link adjusting bar, and the movable'spring cushioned bumper and connections between the same and catchbolt, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEvI MOORE.

Witnesses:

E. O. HOLDEN, ARTHUR P. CHEEK. 

